At right is the stunning cover for the UK DVD release of Ghost Light starring Sylvester McCoy and Sophie Aldred, as created by Clayton Hickman, sent to us by the folks at the Tenth Planet store. Click on the thumbnail for the full wrap-around version. (Thanks to Paul at Tenth Planet for the image!)

Thursday, 29 July 2004

Below are scans from the Swindon Evening Advertiser today, which show several pictures of both Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. Below left is the article; the other three are images from the paper (including a front-page column photo). The accompanying article notes that Piper and Eccleston are filming the new series "in London" (yet another confirmation that the show has moved briefly to London). "The former pupil from Bradon Forest School, Purton, is the latest in a long line of glamorous female assistants to have helped out the Time Lord since his adventures first hit the screen in 1963," says the article about Piper. "And Eccleston is the latest incarnation of the Doctor, which began with William Hartnell and has included Tom Baker and John Pertwee [sic]." (Thanks to Dan Garrett)

A headline in today's Western Mail (also picked up in the Daily Star, the Scottish Daily Record and others) notes that Billie Piper has taken a new flat in Cardiff to be close to the production, and has a celebrity neighbor: musician Charlotte Church. "The new Dr Who star has swapped her Tardis for a plush ú250,000 flat next door to the singer," says the article. Friends have told the various papers that Church, who is 18, "can hardly believe it and can't wait to see Billie when she moves in." Ah, the paparazzi already begins...

Another article in the Manchester Evening News called "Darker side of Dr Who" notes that "Christopher Eccleston is bringing a no-nonsense attitude to his new role as Dr Who. The actor, originally from Little Hulton, has swapped the cult timelord's dandy scarves and hats for a slick leather jacket and sharp black clothes." The Doctor apparently has what is called a "complete wardrobe makeover," and looks more "undercover detective" than a Time Lord. The article also interviews the now-familiar guy charging ahead with his Dalek campaign (again?) and mentions the show's past 'fashion history'.

According to a story at Publishing News, "Following several months' review of its activities and performance, BBC Books has decided to refocus its publishing and reduce its list by around a third to 55-60 titles a year, many of those TV tie-ins or personality-led books. 'WeÆre slimming down the business and re-engineering the process,' Chris Weller, MD of Consumer Publishing, told PN, after a day of meetings in which the books team were told that there would be 'quite significant' job losses. The announcement coincides with the start of a wider review of all the BBCÆs commercial activities which will report in November. 'They could decide to sell us off, or keep us or enhance us,' Weller continued. 'ItÆs all in the lap of the gods.'" Now, we bring this to you not to say that the Doctor Who line is in any danger; we merely bring you what's been reported in a reputable industry source. We hope to get a statement from the folks involved in the Doctor Who novels very shortly. (Thanks to Gordon Barr)

Cards Inc. will feature a limited edition red Dalek cookie jar this fall (October, actually) for the holidays. "Only one thousand of these cookie jars will be available this year and is a must for any Dr Who collector," says the website. Tenth Planet now has the jars on pre-order, and provided us this snapshot of the final product; click for a larger version. (Thanks to Tenth Planet)

File this in the "rumor" category: we've heard from sources that actor John Barrowman, currently starring in "Anything Goes" at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, has been cast in the new series as a character named "Captain Jack". This isn't the first report of a character by that name that we've heard, so we're bringing you the story - a rumor until you hear otherwise. (Thanks to "Ian")

The BBC Shop has posted details of two forthcoming audio releases, both due out September 6: Doctor Who at the BBC, Volume 2, a second volume of rare Doctor Who interviews and clips, and Douglas Adams at the BBC, a look at the life and work of the popular author (among whose career events was as script editor and writer for Doctor Who). Both of these blurbs are from the BBC Shop site, with thumbnail graphics of the covers; we hope to have larger versions soon.

Doctor Who at the BBC, Volume Two

Elisabeth Sladen presents another time-travelling journey through the history of Doctor Who on BBC radio and television.

Our good friend the Doctor may continually jump from the past to the present and back to the future, but heÆs never really gone away. Since 1963 he has had a massive influence on our popular culture û as this second volume of rare material illustrates.

Doctor Who has long been a favourite source of inspiration for comedy programmes including The Mary Whitehouse Experience, IÆm Sorry I HavenÆt a Clue and Dead Ringers. It has also provided an endless source of features for programmes such as Nationwide, Pebble Mill at One, WomanÆs Hour and Talkback. All of these, and more, are featured here.

We hear from no less than seven of the first eight actors to play the Doctor on TV: Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee, Tom Baker, Peter Davison, Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGann all talk about what itÆs like to play the role, and the effect it has had on their lives. The DoctorÆs companions are also well featured, with Elisabeth Sladen, Louise Jameson, Matthew Waterhouse and John Leeson popping up in interviews recorded during their time on the programme.

The issue of violence in Doctor Who is discussed by producer John Nathan-Turner, writer Kit Pedler and some very angry parents; director Paul Joyce takes us behind the scenes on the series; and thereÆs a plethora of news items about the DoctorÆs many returns since 1989. So hold on to your hats û the latest journey starts here!

Douglas Adams at the BBC

Simon Jones, who played Arthur Dent in The HitchhikerÆs Guide to the Galaxy, presents a look back at the life and work of a writer who has captivated the imagination of millions.

When Douglas Adams created The HitchhikerÆs Guide to the Galaxy for BBC Radio 4, it was the genesis of a science fiction comedy legend. Yet his career at the BBC had begun in Light Entertainment, with contributions to The Burkiss Way, Week Ending and other sketch shows of the time. He went on to script edit a series of Doctor Who, and to write a series of Hitchhiker and Dirk Gently books.

In this triple-CD programme, Simon Jones takes an A-Z look at Douglas AdamsÆs career, taking in extracts from the many radio and TV programmes he contributed to. These include personal appearances on Wogan, TomorrowÆs World and Desert Island Discs, his own radio programmes such as Last Chance to See (about the search for endangered species) and The HitchhikerÆs Guide to the Future (a look at impending technology), and even a ælostÆ segment of The HitchhikerÆs Guide to the Galaxy which Adams wrote specially for Radio 4Æs Steafel Plus in 1982. Also included are some of the many tributes paid to Adams following his untimely death in May 2001.

This is a fascinating and in-depth audio biography of a man whose brilliant work has inspired, enraptured and entertained millions of people worldwide.

Wednesday, 28 July 2004

BBC News political editor Andrew Marr has a cameo appearance in the new series, according to a report that Marr himself wrote for today's Daily Telegraph entitled "Three reasons why the Daleks didn't get Blair"; click on the link to read the article. (Thanks to Matthew Kilburn)

Yesterday's Daily Mirror featured a glimpse of Christopher Eccleston entering the TARDIS, perhaps in the costume we'll see him in during the series. The article notes that Eccleston has "traded hats, cloaks and scarves for a leather jacket." "They were a bit foppish for me, a council estate kid," Eccleston tells the Mirror. Another photo from the pages of theDaily Star features a shot of Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper walking together, perhaps an actual shot from the production. The accompanying article in the Daily Star notes, as we've been hearing, that the production has moved briefly to London to film location sequences. Finally, the Western Mail from June 23 discusses last week's Cardiff shooting, including a photo of the TARDIS being assembled. (Thanks to David Backhouse, John Orin, James Gent)

As noted by the Daily Star and Outpost Gallifrey has been able to confirm, filming over the past couple of days moved to London to do some location work. We have been told that as of Monday, the production moved to London (for either two or three days) to do filming in and around Westminster.

Meanwhile, the Doctor Who Appreciation Society's August edition of member magazine Celestial Toyroom will feature location reports on new series filming; a small sample of related photos (which are quite dark and were taken in London over the past couple of nights) can be seen on their website here and here.

The new issue of TV Guide Magazine in the US features a list this week of their "top 25 greatest science fiction legends", featuring characters (or, in one case, a real person) who have impacted the science fiction genre. The Doctor came in on the list at #22 (remember, this is the US!). The article on the Doctor reads as follows: "Known only as 'The Doctor', the title character of this low-budget British series was a cranky, two-hearted, time-traveling alien. The Doctor was as charming as he was quirky, and dedicated himself to protecting the species he loved best -- humans. Fans never tired of the Doctor, in part because the series was frequently freshened with new actors -- seven in all, including No. 4, Tom Baker, above -- explained by his ability to 'regenerate' his body. An eighth Doctor appeared in a 1996 TV-movie. Who's next? Christopher Eccleston will star in new BBC episodes next year." The list was actually topped by "Twilight Zone" creator Rod Serling, followed by the various "Star Trek" crews, Ray Walston's Uncle Martin ("My Favorite Martian"), George Jetson ("The Jetsons") and Jane Badler's Diana ("V") rounding out the top 5. Some strange choices to be sure -- and Doctor Who should've been closer to the top. Check it out in the new issue this week. (Thanks to Felicity Kusinitz, Stephen Kelley)

Tuesday, 27 July 2004

The July 27 edition of the Express featured a brief sidebar about Colin Baker and his tiring of fans commenting on his "expanding waistline". Says the article, "Recalling a recent encounter in Nottingham, the rotund 61-year-old - who was relatively slimline in his Time Lord days - complains that insensitive comments about his weight have become an all too frequent topic of conversation. 'I was greeted with words that are now becoming familiar,' says Colin who played the Doctor from 1984 to 1986. 'I remain at a loss to understand the thought processes that lead the questioner to feel that it is OK to address a stranger with the words, 'My God, you've put on a bit of weight since you left Doctor Who'.'" We hope that this isn't any of our fans... after all, Colin's a smashing bloke. So be nice! (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

Today's edition of The Sun states that "Auf Wiedersehen" star Noel Clarke will play the role of Mickey, Rose Tyler's (Billie Piper) boyfriend in the new series. Says The Sun: "Noel ù Geordie WayneÆs son Wyman in the hit comedy ù has signed to appear as Mickey, boyfriend of Rose Tyler, the Time LordÆs feisty sidekick." This confirms a rumor we've heard over the past week, and was confirmed on July 28 by BBC News. According to the "Drama on TV" section of the BBC website, Clarke's previous credits include Metrosexuality, Judge John Deed and Waking The Dead. The website also notes that "Away from acting, heÆs also a keen writer. One of his scripts was recently turned into a short film. He appeared on stage at the Royal Court Theatre in Where Do We Live directed by Richard Wilson. The performance earned him a Laurence Olivier Award for Most Promising Newcomer." (Thanks to Graham Cluley, Doug Chen)

The latest issue of TV Zone Magazine is out and features interviews with Russell T. Davies and designer Bryan Hitch. In his interview, Davies comments on the glut of rumors surrounding the new show. "I did see that one rumour in the Guardian about Cabinet members who became alien when they lied, or something," he notes, "which was hardly credible, since the disguise wouldn't last long! It does seem some rumours get so strong that the production team is asked to make an official statement, which I'm absolutely refusing to do. Comment on nonsense, and you give that nonsense an official status. No chance!" He also waxes on plans for historical adventures ("No, none at all. Which doesn't rule it out for the future, if the right idea came along"), regeneration ("I think it would be lovely if fan fiction, or the other versions of Doctor Who - print, audio or whatever - came up with that") and scheduling ("This was never conceived as a 9.00 show. Not in 1963, and certainly not now..."). He also discusses the influence of Buffy on the new series, and specifically the character of Rose: "She hasn't got superpowers or a secret destiny. At least not yet. I just used Buffy as an example of a well-written modern leading female role." Davies also noted the choice of writers for this first season: "We considered lots of people, some Who writers, some not... every single writer is a fine writer in his own right; that's the only thing that matters! Bear in mind that a lot of people had to approve of these names, all sorts of Heads of Drama - and the existence of a Virgin novel or whatever wouldn't mean that much to them! ... just you wait 'til you see their work!" Hitch, meanwhile, discusses the influences on his design work ("Everything from blown glass to high architecture has given us ideas...") and discusses budget restrictions: "We have all been allowed to think about how it should look. How we want it to be and then working out a way to do it within budget rather than letting the budget dictate the look... we are getting pretty close to what we want." The new issue of TV Zone is now on sale. (Thanks to Steve Tribe)

Sunday, 25 July 2004

Peter Davison opened a fundraising day at a North East lifeboat station on July 24, according to the Newcastle Evening Chronicle. Davison was joined by actress Samantha Bond, with whom he's filming a new ITV comedy, "Distant Shores." The fundraising event is for maintenance of the lifeboat station, which features in the series.

Roadshow has confirmed that the next UK DVD release Ghost Light will make its way down to Australia in February 2005 (and likely New Zealand very shortly thereafter). While the 'Lost in Time' collection has been announced in the UK and US, it is yet to be confirmed in Australia; they expect a confirmation very soon. (And note the 4 month gap between Leisure Hive & Ghost Light!) (Thanks to Dwayne Bunney)

Everyone's jumped on the bandwagon with the new TARDIS. The Mirror (July 23) ran a piece on the TARDIS being spotted in Cardiff. Says the South Wales Echo (July 22), "As filming for the revival series of Doctor Who takes to the city"s streets, rumours are flying that the traditional exterminating enemy has been replaced by an army of suave but evil mannequins." The Echo also noted on July 23, "Drinkers in Cardiff might have been alarmed to find their favourite watering hole had been take over by the police. But there was no need to worry - it's all in the name of Dr Who. The back door of the Toad at the Exhibition bar in Working Street, Cardiff city centre, was transformed into the front door of a police station for filming of the all-new Doctor Who series. Large blue stickers with white lettering reading Police were stuck in the windows of the bar which faces St David's Centre, and a sign hanging from the outside wall was covered with a police banner. Half of the bar was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, and last night, to accommodate the crew."

The Manchester Evening News got into it on July 24: "It may be forty years since blue police boxes were last seen on the streets, but Dr Who fans were celebrating after catching a glimpse of one still in perfect working order," said the paper. "Viewers had been worried that the doctor's antiquated time and space machine might be axed along with the Daleks who fell victim to a legal wrangle between the Beeb and late creator Terry Nation's estate. But the refitted and repainted TARDIS - which stands for Time and Relative Dimension in Space - materialised next to a shopping centre where the Time Lord's new adventures are being shot."

An article entitled "Doctor Who Mania: Why the Brits are taking this quirky Sci-Fi revival so seriously" at ElitesTV notes that "'Doctor Who' mania has surged again since the announcement that BBC Wales will begin filming the revival this summer. ... Fans of the classic show are waiting to see a fresh cast take on the task of recreating one of BritainÆs favorite stories. However, changes to the show and its characters are inevitable. The new version will have an edgier, more emotional Doctor and a sexy new assistant. Unfortunately for fans, the Daleks, Doctor WhoÆs most feared enemies and voted the most evil villains on television by British TV viewers, wonÆt be returning for the new show. Negotiations over issues of creative control between the BBC and the estate of creator Terry Nation have resulted in a Dalekless series. Nevertheless, the writers are confident they can provide Doctor Who aficionados with new foes to feast on." Read the full article at the website.

Mad Norwegian Press will be releasing a new six-volume Doctor Who reference guide. About Time by Lawrence Miles and Tat Wood, will "focus on the tenure of one the actors who portrayed the Doctor, with the eras of Colin Baker, Sylvester McCoy and Paul McGannùdue to their relatively short stays with the programùcombined into a single volume. ... In addition to the usual concerns such as the TV showÆs continuity (alien races, the DoctorÆs abilities, etc.) and lore (anecdotal, "Did You Know?"-style material), Miles and Wood will examine each story in the context of the year/historical period it was produced, determining just how topical the stories were. Along those lines, each About Time volume will include several essays on a myriad of comprehensive Doctor Who topics such as 'When are the UNIT stories set?' 'WhatÆs the Timeline of the Earth Empire?', 'How believable is the British Space Programme?' and 'Just How Chauvinistic is Doctor Who?'" The first volume, about Jon Pertwee's era, will be published in October; subsequent volumes include Tom Baker (November), Peter Davison (December), Colin Baker/Sylvester McCoy/Paul McGann (February), William Hartnell (March) and Patrick Troughton (April). (Thanks to Lars Pearson)

Galaxy 4 have sent us a thumbnail of the cover of the UK edition of the DVD release of The Lost in Time Collection; click on it for a slightly larger version. We hope to bring you the final cover illustration shortly. (Thanks to Galaxy 4)

Broadcast Magazine recently compiled their list of the "Fifty Most Influential Television Programmes in British Broadcasting History" and Doctor Who was on the list. Broadcast magazine said the 50 programmes were chosen because they "pushed television boundaries," and the list includes shows across many diverse genres including entertainment, factual, news and sport. The widely divergent list includes -- besides Doctor Who, of course -- such staples as "Coronation Street," "Not the Nine O'Clock News," "Blue Peter," "Brideshead Revisited," "Spitting Image," "Changing Rooms," "Big Brother" and "Comic Relief". Click here for the BBC News story. Meanwhile, Amazon.com and the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) held a recent poll to find the "world's favorite robot." The Daleks -- yes, those diminutive pepperpots who won't be appearing in the new Doctor Who series -- came in at number 12. R2D2 of "Star Wars" fame was voted number one in the poll which also included such varied responses as Bender ("Futurama"), Gort ("The Day the Earth Stood Still"), Crow T. Robot ("MST3K") and Number Five ("Short Circuit"). (Thanks to everyone who sent these stories in!)

Thursday, 22 July 2004

We have a big scoop tonight... Outpost Gallifrey brings you the first photographs of the TARDIS used in the new series! Our correspondent William Owen shot the first photo late at night during Wednesday night's film shoot... and managed to get a close-up on the TARDIS beneath a London bus stop sign, below left; it's hazy and the lighting has been upped so you can see it in the dark (and no, we don't know why the one window is a white patch of light!) I've enlarged the TARDIS part of the photo; you can see the enlargement and the original below, left. Update 0420 GMT - two additional photos as well from Roger Anderson of the Cuttings Archive, featuring a distant shot of the TARDIS, in its familiar blue and now featuring the top lid, as well as the TARDIS under construction by production team members a bit earlier in the evening, under the heavy lighting.

Also below: the same shot (but a better range of view - you can see the Ryder moving truck, and the shop windows on the right are those of Howells); a lighting truck on St. Mary's Street outside an "HSBC Bank" building; two shots of a London bus and an OB (outside broadcast) van; and signs to the 'production base' ... which we're told turns out to be at the Cardiff Arms Park car park, as shown by the Gwyn Nicholls gate to the car park.

Update 0300 GMT: Also below in the spoiler tag, another set report courtesy our correspondent John Smith, with details on the Wednesday night filming session. Enjoy! (Thanks to William Owen, Roger Anderson, John Smith)

Tonight's shoot on St. Mary Street, starting just after 11pm, appeared to be endless re-takes of the same brief scene:

Rose leaves "Henriks" dept. store from crosses the street, hurrying but not running, looking nervously behind her. A black cab has to brake to avoid her, and beeps at her. The cab then continues up the street and drives through a puddle. The Puddle is obviously important as it was re-filled for every shot! It's what Rose is carrying that makes the shot interesting; it's the severed arm of a shop mannequin...

Onlookers became so familiar with this scene, that doubtless internet arguments will rage for years over whether they selected the best take!

Techies could be seen working on hinged prosthetic hands of an obviously Auton design. The TARDIS was built in-situ, in plain view, and it was possible for a short while to get right up close. However it was soon covered up and I'm fairly sure that it hadn't been used by the time I left at 3am.

More Monday and Tuesday Photos

General TV Series News

July 22, 2004 • Posted By Shaun Lyon

More photos that were posted to the Outpost Gallifrey Forum on Tuesday, from the first day or two of Cardiff area filming, courtesy users "The Gather" and "Joxer"; click on each for a larger version.

More Cardiff Photos

General TV Series News

July 22, 2004 • Posted By Shaun Lyon

Yet more photos from the Cardiff area, including more shots of the new TARDIS, the Albion Hospital facade, a couch dropping onto one of the London buses, the "Classic Bride" store and the shopping center, the police station, and various production personnel... click on each for a larger version. (Thanks to "Chris L," David Shaw, Mark Keeble, Paul Waddington)

Billie Piper Filming Photo

General TV Series News

July 22, 2004 • Posted By Shaun Lyon

At right (click for a larger version) is a photo that appeared in the July 21 edition of the South Wales Echo accompanying a news story (we reported on it yesterday), which features Billie Piper ("Rose") and another actress in costume and makeup. Says the caption, "Billie Piper, who plays Doctor Who's feisty assistant Rose Taylor [sic], was filming scenes in Howells, Cardiff, last night." The photo is credited to Huw Evans/Wales News. (Thanks to Darren Powis for the clipping!)

Big Finish will be releasing a second miniseries of Gallifrey stories next year. Five stories will comprise this second "season" of Gallifrey adventures: "Masques" by Gary Russell, "Spirits" by Stephen Cole, "Pandora" by Justin Richards, "Insurgency" by Steve Lyons and "Imperiatrix" by Stewart Sheargold. Among the actors returning to their roles are Lalla Ward (Romana), Louise Jameson (Leela), John Leeson (K9), Miles Richardson (Braxiatel), Sean Carlsen (Narvin) and Andy Coleman (Torvald). The five plays, directed by Gary Russell, will be released starting in the spring of 2005.

A couple of set reports from both Wednesday evening and today (Thursday) have crossed my desk; they're encased in the spoiler tags below. Interestingly enough there are several reports of a Dalek sighting... but as we've learned, this is more of the "campaign" launched by the Sun newspaper and not part of the production. (Thanks to Antony Wainer, Gregory Jones, Anna Roberts and "Andy")

From Thursday

Filming took place in the city centre again tonight. They were filming scenes in front of the entrance of Queen's Arcade (used as a location on Tuesday night). It was dressed similarly, with the same vehicles around, but this time the location seemed to be dirtied down with many bin bags and other rubbish scattered around. The scenes filmed included a group of extras running away from Autons. There was then a period when they seemed to be fimling closer shots of two Autons in wedding dresses plus other shots around the exterior of the police station (Exhibition pub). This was in the distance so it was hard to make out any details, but at one point there seemed to be a group of Autons surrounding a black London cab. Various small fires were then lit around the area, and a scene of the Autons dying was filmed. This was followed by a scene of a group of dazed extras starrgering though the carnage. During this scene, there may have been stand ins for Billie and Chris, as two extras of similar build and dressed in similar clothes to the costumes we've seen were fairly seperate to the main group of extras.Anna Roberts

From Wednesday

Arrived on St Mary Street at 5pm and already production staff were busy. Howells department store was changed to 'Henriks' and there was a 'Henriks' Sale sign put up. The windows were being changed. The Police Station set had been up all day, Classic Bride had been taken down. Walked through Queens Arcade and a false window was being put up over a shop doorway. Went back to Howells after late Lunch (Cheese Burger in Toad (Police Station)!) to see Billie Piper! Wow! There were two London Buses, lots of extras and a bus sign. Billie recorded a scene getting off the bus and running into Henriks. Suddenly the Sun pushed a Gold Dalek to the location and was immediately stopped. They took lots of photos of the Dalek on the set. The crowd loved it. Billie ran onto the bus and hid! The Dalek was escorted off. Said hello to Billie who said 'Hiya'. She's lovely. Back to Queens Arcade for 10pm and saw an Auton chase some shoppers. He was wearing a grey suit. Very scary. Talked to the guys who had the Auton hands (four in total, I think).There were some explosions and the crew clapped. Back to St Mary's Street for a window to explode, but the crew stopped for break. Dont know what happened after 11.30pm as Id left. Great day!Gregory Jones (courtesy Antony Wainer/DWAS)

Drove past the back end of CRI tonight around 6:30 after dropping a mate off in Orbit Street and saw two blokes and half a dalek lurking around the back entrance where all the vans and lorries had been parked over the weekend. My first thought was, "They've been lying to us all along!" but then I realised it was probably some fans just mucking about, at least that's what I hope... For the record the dalek was a normal one as we all remember it, but yellowy / gold with black bumps and it didn't have a top half. Unfortunately I didn't stop for reasons which now escape me, but I can't help wondering who it was.Andy (aka Sparky)

Another batch courtesy Roger Anderson of the Cuttings Archive; we've selected a handful of the best, but there are a few more on Roger's website that you can check out. Below are photos from Wednesday night / Thursday morning shooting including: photos of the TARDIS base and construction and a hazy one of the "police box" sign; a long shot of Billie Piper actually filming, running across the street; some of the production team; the filming camera; the Queen's Arcade storefront; the "Henrik's" store front; and some, er, props used by the signature aliens in the footage being shot. Enjoy! (Thanks to Roger Anderson)

Wednesday, 21 July 2004

For Tuesday's filming in the streets of Cardiff for the new Doctor Who series we have a number of correspondents who were in the area during the day and night as well as lots of photos. The first batch (evening shots) are definitely spoilerphotos that confirm the presence of an old enemy; the second batch are photos from Tuesday daytime including press and photographers at the Howell's store; a London Underground sign (out of place here in Cardiff); more Underground signage; classic roadsters; and a red bus bound for Marble Arch and Victoria (a long way away from London!) (Thanks to Lee Johnson and Leon Hughes for the photos; Anna Roberts, Chris Thomas, John Smith and George Duffield for the set reports.)

Just got back from Cardiff city centre. I stayed for about half an hour from 10 pm on. ... When I was there, they were filming outside the entrance to Queen's Arcade using it as the entrance to a shopping centre. Again, it had been dressed to look like London, with an Underground sign by the entrance. It had also been prettified a bit with a couple of new, small iron lamp posts, but otherwise they didn't seem to have changed any of the shop fronts... There were assorted vehicles about the area, including two red London buses (the Routemaster type - one was route 74 to Putney Heath for those who really like their details), a couple of black cabs, an Evening Standard van, post van, and what seemed to be a small fire engine. Plus a massive crane to light the scene. RTD was in attendance and they were filming a couple of scenes with a female actress, who was wearing blue trackie bottoms with what looked like Adidas stripes, a pink top/jumper and a blue denim jacket. She was also carrying a blue, sequined denim handbag, a mobile phone and a white A4 piece of paper/envelope. The scene consisted of the actress (likely NOT Billie Piper) walking across the road talking on her mobile, while a couple of the vehicles drove past and the best part of a dozen normally dressed extras carrying shopping bags milled about. I could hear most of the dialogue, and following a line about where are you, she was talking to somebody she referred to as darling (boyfriend). As best I can remember the dialogue it was "I can't hear you, the signals breaking up. I'm just going to do some late night shopping." Gripping, huh? A second scene was quickly rehearsed where the same actress ran back out of the shopping centre followed by a tightly packed group of the same extras marching oddly. I have a suspicion that this might have been put on for the benefit of the audience though as the crew then broke for a meal without filming it. Hope that keeps your appetites whetted.Anna Roberts

Just to give some extra info on last nights Cardiff shoot. On speaking to some of the film crew, four stuntmen were on hand as pyrotechnics were planned. A London bus was being organised to slide down the street, with many of the cars on either side set to explode. This was all set to take place around midnight.Chris Thomas

I saw five bald headed masks (with splits up the back) being delivered at 10.00pm by a woman and a man in a white van. The Evening Standard hoarding said 'Proper Rigmarole' as its headline. A local trainer shop, on Working Street was turned into 'Classic Brides' at 6.00pm (I watched). A taxi was due to drive into a false window later that night. I left at midnight. The false window covered the doorway. Various rehearsals for a skidding taxi and bus (9.30pm approx). When Billie ran out of Howells (Henrika's in the story) she snatched a clear A4 wallet from a security guard. Various plant pots were placed outsside the fake tube station.George Duffield

There was a shoe shop on Working Street; it was filled with an artificial shopfront and now it's called "Classic Bride" -- a bridal wear dealer. The windows had mannequins in them; the fake doors didn't even open, and I think only external filming would take place. The London bus-stop sign, the fake one, that appears in one of your photos was right next to the shop, and from the lack of further dressing I would assume that it was only used to evoke a sense of place in one external shot, probably from quite a high angle. The Exhibition pub (one half of the old library building), directly opposite, became a police station, with two hanging POLICE signs, and a billboard filled with public information/awareness literature. Elsewhere in the street were warning signs for the London "congestion charge zone" - a traffic toll recently imposed on drivers in central London, so it can be assumed that at least some scenes were set in the heart of the city, and in the present day or thereabouts. The entrance to Queen's Arcade (the curved stairway shown in the preview shots on your website) became a London Underground station, complete with the fake sign another of the photos shows, and a vendor stand for the "London Evening Standard" (a real newspaper), bearing the headline "Proper Rigmarole" - dunno if that's an exclusively British term? Just in case, my best international translation would be "Big Fuss, Probably Over Nothing".

Articles on BBC News, Digital Spy and ICWales have appeared, basically just rehashes of what happened in the BBC Wales Today interviews yesterday. The South Wales Echo today stated something, however, about the actual production: "The Echo can reveal that Christopher Eccleston, who plays the new Doctor, will not be at this week's shoot, although his new feisty assistant, Rose Taylor, played by Billie Piper, will be filming in Cardiff." Perhaps he'll be turning up later... Also, the official Doctor Who site has a second WhoSpy picture up, of the camera used in production! (Thanks to Steve Tribe, Paul Engelberg)

The newest issue of Doctor Who Magazine has now begun circulating and there are several pieces of information (spoiler tagged, below) in the issue. Of course, you can read all the details in the latest issue, #346, on sale Thursday July 22.

Producer Russell T. Davies says he won't be releasing any further episode titles until transmission of the show, but episode 7 has the working title "The Long Game". He describes Rob Shearman's script as "thrilling, brutal, and epic" and says that they've chosen a new logo (but it's not seen) and that there will be a "proper title sequence".

Director Keith Boak's "block" consists of episodes 1, 4 and 5 -- which means they're shooting "Rose" and "Aliens of London" as one package. He is quoted in DWM as saying that the new series is "powerful, it's emotive, it's sh*t scary, it's chilling, it's fun, it's warm and it's adventurous. All those things pulled together.....all Ican hope is that it will be completely different to anything anyone's ever seen on TV before."

Among the new names are Neill Gorton, who is in charge of special make-up and prosthetics (he's worked on "Tomb Raider," "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" and "Red Dwarf") and Mike Tucker, writer and visual effects artist, who is handling models and miniatures. So far he's the only direct link on the production team with the old show.

The issue also confirms the writers for the upcoming hardcover Doctor Who new series books: "The Deadly Game" is by Jacqueline Rayner, "The Clockwise Man" is by Justin Richards, and "The Monsters Inside" is by Stephen Cole.

The issue also confirms the details about MillTV doing the effects, which was revealed by MillTV earlier this week.

Deep within the BBC's own charter is some information about minority actors in BBC productions... and features information about a character named Mickey in the new series. Click on the spoiler details for the brief, but interesting, information. (Thanks to "Stower")

Dr Who, a major event for the BBC in 2005, will also reflect multi-cultural life in the 21st Century.

The casting of Mickey, the hapless, long-suffering boyfriend of Rose, the DoctorÆs assistant, provides a major role for an actor from an ethnic minority background.

We have three items here; first, a set report by David Shaw (in the spoiler tags as usual), as well as a collection of new photos from Wednesday night's evening filming session courtesy Leon Hughes, below; the first of these photos (the one that appears red in the thumbnail) is a spoiler image so be warned (it's explained in the spoiler tag!)

The Sun has also run an article today entitled "Time Travelling for Dummies" which features spoilers and therefore is in the spoiler tag. (Thanks to Leon Hughes, David Shaw, Steve Tribe)

SPOILER PHOTO ABOVE: The first photo... recognize it? It's an Auton hand weapon. Obviously the production team are giving fans a real treat in the new series!

The Sun report: Today's The Sun spoils the Autons for the general public. "DR WHO faces an old foe when he returns to TV - marauding mannequins called the Autons," the article says. "They terrify the time traveller's helper, played by Billie Piper, when they spring to life as she shops. She finds herself at the centre of the action in the show's first new series for 15 years. Billie, who plays Rose Tyler, completed her first day's filming in Cardiff alongside new Doctor Christopher Eccleston yesterday. The Autons' last adversary was Jon Pertwee 33 years ago."

Tuesday Set Report:

The Autons are back! After reading the tip-offs on Outpost Gallifrey (thanks), I travelled the 150 miles to Cardiff yesterday (Tues 20th July) with my 6-year-old daughter, Emma, in the hope of experiencing a bit of the magic of Dr WhoÆs return. We found the Working Street/St. John Street location quite easily, and wandered past the production team vans at 5.30pm. Emma was delighted to spot a familiar group of shop-dummy props in the back of one of the trucks, clearly indicating the return of the Autons! The street was then dressed to resemble 1950s(?) London; props were positioned: a red telephone box, Underground sign, red post box, London bus stop, gaslamps, two industrial metal dustbins and an Evening Standard headline display announcing ôProper rigmaroleö (? la Web Of Fear). The sign of the ôSneakersö sports shoe shop was removed and replaced with a fictional ôClassic Brideö pink shopfront. Wedding gowns arrived for the dummies as well as ôC.B.ö logo stickers for the shop windows. We were excited to realise that it would be the scene of an Auton breakout, as glaziers arrived to fit temporary glass windows! The exterior of the Toad @ The Exhibition pub was transformed into a police station, with new signs, an information board and a blue ôpoliceö lamp. We had followed two traditional 1950s-style London buses from the motorway into Cardiff earlier in the afternoon and were amazed to see them turn up in the Dr. Who street. In fact there was a range of vehicles: fire engine, Royal Mail lorry, Evening Standard van, two black London taxis and the two buses. We tried to keep out of the way and were allowed to wander up and down the street until after 8pm. A few of the workers spoke to us in a friendly manner, and no-one asked us to move away. As darkness fell, the area was closed off by the Police with ôdo not crossö tape, and some extras dressed as firemen arrived. We heard a few rehearsals and shouts of ôQuiet Please!ö as some minor schenes were filmed. Since it was now 9.30 pm and it seemed likely that the main filming would not take place until the middle of the night, we left. We returned at 5am this morning, however, as dawn was breaking to find the clear-up in full swing. Significantly, there was shattered glass all over the pavement in front of the ôClassic Brideö shop, and we watched as the props were systematically removed (all the vehicles had already gone). The Auton shop dummies were piled up in the street and then all props were put back into the trucks. Emma had a fantastic time - Dr Who is definitely back!David Shaw

Tuesday, 20 July 2004

The special effects company MillTV will be handling the visual effects for the new Doctor Who series, the team announced on its website today. The following is MillTV's statement about the confirmation of their work:

MillTv, longform arm of Europe's only Oscar-winning visual effects company, The Mill, has been confirmed by the BBC as the contractor for visual effects on the 2005 series of Dr Who. MillTv will provide high-end visual effects and graphics for all 13x45-minute episodes for BBC1.

"It's a privilege - and a responsibility - to be asked to work on such an iconic project," says Dave Throssell, head of MillTv. "It will be a tough job because it will demand feature film effects on a TV schedule."

MillTv understands it has to create effects capable of bedazzling a demanding generation with high-expectations stemming from the sophistication of films like The Matrix and Lord of the Rings:

"Effects that were seen as ground-breaking when Dr Who first aired obviously won't cut it with today's audience," says Throssell. "But thanks to a pedigree that includes the Oscar-winning effects produced by The Mill for Ridley Scott's Gladiator, we have a proven track record of creating seminal effects and graphics. MillTv is more than capable of delivering the high-standards necessary to update Dr Who."

MillTv has developed a strong relationship with Dr Who producer, Phil Collinson. Throssell and Collinson recently completed another effects-driven primetime BBC drama in February called Sea of Souls. Other 2004 MillTv projects include First Olympians (BBC, July 04), D-Day (BBC June 04), Dragons Alive (BBC, March 04), The Nile (BBC, February 04) and Men of Iron (Channel 4, February 04).

The Restoration Team has posted an article about the forthcoming Lost in Time DVD collection. Also at the site is a page with photo comparisons between the original VHS format of these "orphan" episodes and the restored versions; click here to see that page.

Today's Newsquest Media Group syndicated report features an article about Bilile Piper stepping into the "legendary Tardis". "The Swindon-born pop star-turned-actress was busy filming on the streets of Cardiff today for the new BBC series of Doctor Who. Billie, 21, is playing assistant Rose Tyler opposite the ninth doctor, Christopher Eccleston, of Shallow Grave fame. David Cartwright, spokesman for the BBC, said: 'The style will be very different to the 1970s version and we think viewers will like the new look. We're keeping everything under wraps so fans will have to wait. ... The Tardis can travel anywhere through space and time, so it could be going anywhere, including Swindon.'" (Thanks to Paul Engelberg)

"Dr Who gets Hollywood treatment" is the subject of an article in today's Media Guardian. "In a move sure to break the hearts of fans devoted to the reconstructed telephone box, tinny Daleks and wobbly sets of the original, the BBC has hired the special effects company behind Hollywood blockbuster Gladiator to digitally enhance its eagerly awaited new series of Doctor Who. The Mill, the Soho post-production house that won an Oscar for its work on Ridley Scott's epic, has been commissioned to update Doctor Who's famously creaky special effects for a new generation of viewers. The company, which also worked on the Hollywood blockbuster K19: The Widowmaker, said its remit was to 'bedazzle' younger viewers accustomed to the impressive effects featured on The Matrix and Lord of the Rings. 'Effects that were seen as ground-breaking when Dr Who first aired obviously won't cut it with today's audience," said Dave Throssell, the head of The Mill's TV department. 'It will be a tough job because it will demand feature film effects on a TV schedule.'" The article says that Doctor Who was "famous for its low production values, making a virtue out of its shoestring budget. One crew member admitted on a recent documentary about the show that he created one of the most recognisable sounds in television by scraping his door key up and down the string of a double-bass." The article also mentions the Daleks not appearing in the production. (Thanks to Paul Hayes)

Issue 179 of TV Zone magazine will feature interviews with series producer Russell T Davies and visual artist Bryan Hitch. The magazine is due out July 22; at right is the cover illustration. (Thanks to Stephen Graves)

Is the Doctor making a new fashion statement for today's audience? It sure appears so... in fact, according to the press call today, the black leather jacket Christopher Eccleston wears, and the pink top Billie Piper is wearing, are in fact the costumes they are wearing for the show. In an effort to update the Doctor into the 21st century, no doubt, we'll see a new take on the Time Lord. More details soon...

The following is a transcript of today's BBC Wales Today live interview session with producer Russell T. Davies and series stars Christopher Eccleston and Billie Piper. Also, below are the photos previously posted (incorporated into this news item) featuring Eccleston, Davies & Piper, obviously during some sort of rehearsal; the on-the-scene BBC Wales reporter in Cardiff in front of Howell's (a local store); then a pic of Eccleston on TV; then the reporter at Howell's. Second line: the three again; Billie Piper plays Rose; two shots of Russell T Davies. Thanks go to Graeme Allen for the pics and Michael Blumenthal for the transcript of the session (plus Matt Gaynor, Alex Rudd, Mark Brown, John Molyneux, "Stevethedalek," Steve Freestone, Jeremy Raynor and many others who have contributed today!)

(studio presenter) Now, he's faced death hundreds of times, saved the world from any number of baddies. Yes, Doctor Who is back. Filming has just started here in wales, with a new Doctor, a new sidekick, and a whole new host of enemies. Our reporter, Rebecca John, is out on location. Rebecca?

(RJ, outside Howell's shop, 09:05) That's right Claire, the new series of Doctor Who is being made by BBC Wales and will be shown in the spring, and later tonight, this part of Cardiff city centre will be cordoned off as the cameras begin to roll, and, as you can see, the television vans are beginning to arrive.

Now, it's not everyday you meet a Time Lord in a super, in a superstore like this, 'cause this is where the filming will be taking place. Now it's so top secret that I'm not allowed in, but we have been given the first on-location television interview with the new Doctor Who. Here's Nick (Pallett?)

09:39: Title music, Tardis on swirly blue background, shots of previous Doctors, companions, monsters...(NP, 09:46) He's faced the Daleks and the Cybermen, and travelled through time, but now Doctor Who faces his toughest test, a 21st Century TV audience. In the ninth incarnation of the nation's favourite Time Lord, gone are the trademark hats, cloaks and scarves. This is the new Doctor Who, and in black leather jacket and T-shirt, he looks very much like the man in the street.

(Christoper Eccleston 10:06) Well I wouldn't want to put labels on it, I mean, I think in the past, each actor's made specific choices about their costume and I've made mine.

(Nick P, 10:15) This new production's already begun fiming on location at Cardiff's old Royal Infirmary, and these are the very first pictures seen anywhere of the Welsh writer, Russell T Davies, alongside his new Doctor and sidekick played by Billie Piper, (who's ??) too young to remember the original Time Lords, but has been busy watching them on video.

(Bille Piper: 10:33) Yeah, I've been, I've been catching up recently, and getting very excited, and, you know, but trying not to feel the pressure but just accepting that it's, it's, we're trying to create something new, um, with the essence of the old Doctor Who, but it's more contemporary, and, and, and, it's, you know, times have moved on and, and so have we, and we're going to give it a ,a different approach.

(Nick P, 11:00) At it's peak in the '70's, audiences reached 16 million in Britain, 110 million worldwide, and though, in this multi-channel age, such figures are no longer possible, the new Doctor, Christopher Eccleston, feels it'll still have mass appeal.

(Christopher E, 11:13) It's an escape. It's escapism, isn't it, and a romp? And, er, the mystery of the Doctor, I think, the mystery of the relationship between the Doctor and his companion.

(Billie P, 11:25) When I (was told?) I was going to spend eight months of my life in Wales, I was actually quite excited, 'cause I used to come here a lot as a child, North Wales actually, on holiday, erm, holiday trips, we used to come down here in our caravan, erm, so, yeah, I'm just happy to be back, and I've only been in Cardiff now for a week, so I'm still finding my bearings, and getting used to everything, but, having a great time.

(11:50, monsters, explosions, dinosaurs, Bok, yellow-suited Autons, etc)(Nick P) Doctor Who of old was renowned for its wobbly sets, and low budget effects. They're gone in the new multi-million pound production, but hopefully, just like the original, it'll be essential weekend viewing for the whole family.

(12:06 Back to Cardiff streets: Rebecca John with RTD)Well, the stars have arrived within the last few minutes, and one of them, I must say, is the Welsh writer, Russell T Davies,

(RTD) You're very kind

(RJ) Russell, what on earth is Doctor Who doing in Howell's, first of all?

(RTD) It's a very exciting scene in the very first three minutes of episode 1, where an ordinary department store turns out to be something far more sinister, and that's all I can give away. I'm not going to tell you anything else.

(RJ) Now, this is obviously being a closely guarded secret, in fact everything is. Why does it have to be so secret?

(RTD) Well partly for, really for the fun of the viewers, really. I hate watching stuff where I know what's going to happen. I think we all know that a fair bit's going to leak onto the Internet, and, you know, science fiction fans and stuff lke that, but really most people, and I hope millions of people, will be sitting down watching a brand new series of Doctor Who, with the first proper series, regular series in 15 years, so: it's a surprise!!

(RJ) So, what can you tell us that they've got to look forward to for fans?

(RTD) Well, lots and lots of Cardiff, which is a good thing. I mean the nice thing about filming here is that we're going to use, to shoot 95% of the series in Cardiff, and it's going to really show what a great Capital for filming in this is, because we're going to use Cardiff as London, we going to use Cardiff as Cardiff, we've got Doctor Who episodes set in Cardiff, which is a marvellous thing, and we're going to be here in, representing the 1860's, and all sorts of different periods throughout history and even the future, so it'll show this city can host anything.

(RJ 13:20) So, no Daleks though for the fans?

(RTD) Well, never say never, because anything can happen and hopefully it'll run for 41 years again, and we'll get them back some point, but at the moment we've got some fantastic new monsters, we're very excited.

(RJ, 13:32) Now, very briefly, everyone's got expectations of Doctor Who, how do you manage those expectations - everyone thinks they know what it should look like?

(RTD) To be honest, I just sort of ignore them. I make the Doctor Who that I wanted to make, which, it's going to be new and exciting, it's also going to be very, very traditional. people are going to have the same old thrill that they always had watching it, just, it's going to look more Year 2005, that more of a sort of upbeat kick to it, and it's very much the same old show.

(RJ 13:55) And why do you think people love Doctor Who so much?

(RTD) Because it's the best idea ever invented in the history of the world! I really think so. I love it. But, it's great adventure, it, it tells great stories about the human race, I think, about optimism, and those are good stories to tell in this age.

(RJ) Russell T Davies, thanks very much, and good luck with the filming. Claire, back to you: